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Homer Eastman to be inducted into 4-H Hall of Fame

Humboldt County’s Homer Eastman will be inducted into the 4-H Hall of Fame at the Iowa State Fair on August 18, 2006

Humboldt County’s Homer Eastman will be inducted into the newly formed 4-H Hall of Fame at the Iowa State Fair on Sunday, August 18, in a 3:30 p.m. ceremony at the 4-H building.

Eastman was nominated by the Humboldt County Extension Council for his years of service to the local 4-H program. The 4-H Hall of Fame was formed this year in conjunction with the 100th year of 4-H.

Eastman grew up on a farm south of Humboldt along the Des Moines River. He joined the Corinth Township 4-H Club at the age of 10. At his first Humboldt County Fair he had a Grand Champion Pen of Three.

After graduating from Humboldt High School in 1939, he farmed.

He’s been on his wife’s family farm, a Century Farm, since 1948.

He became a 4-H leader in 1944 in Avery Township, when he lived at Bradgate.

He continued when he moved to Weaver Township with the Weaver 4-H Club in 1949 and later with the C & W 4-H Club.

Eastman, along with Jack Altman and Dick Mather started the 4-H Food Stand at the Humboldt County Fairgrounds as a way to help raise money for the state 4-H Camp.

Eastman served 21 years as a 4-H Leader, and three years as a 4-H Tri-County Leader (Humboldt-Pocahontas-Webster Counties). He took the first winter camping group to the 4-H Camp at Madrid, and ended up taking a total of 42 groups to winter and summer camping trips.

Homer and Vivian have been married for 60 years. They have five children, 10 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. They’ve hosted three 4-H International Farm Youth exchange students. The Eastmans have been to nearly every Humboldt County Fair since the 1930s and they continue to attend.

"It was great working with kids. In the early days, we had a Humboldt County 4-H basketball tournament in the winter and a softball tournament in the summer. That was a lot of fun," Eastman said.

Eastman is also a very active member of the Humboldt Breakfast Lions Club. He joined Lions in 1969, and served as District Governor in 1976-77. He has helped start 42 new clubs over the years.

He’s received nearly every Lion award possible, including the Melvin Jones Fellow, Warren Coleman Award, Bud Kleiss Award, Ralph Wittin Award, three International President’s Awards, and five International President’s Appreciation Awards.

For the last 30 years, Eastman has made pancakes in Humboldt County and beyond for various fundraising events. He’s built 31 pancake griddles that are scattered across the nation.

He served on the Social Services Board for 21 years and Homer and Vivian have hosted 18 youth exchanges.

He continues to be active in the Lions Club, and also enjoys working in his shop. Eastman recently finished replacing six windows in their 100-year-old house, which is the same home Vivian was born in nearly 80 years ago.

Eastman’s induction into the 4-H Hall of Fame will be acknowledged at the Humboldt County Extension booth at the Humboldt County Fair next week.

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